Nemico Mortale
by AnimeCat
Summary: The year is AC 206...A new enemy threatens the peace brought by the Gundams and Relena Darlian. And her bodyguard Heero, is stuck with two new guards who particularly irk him. And possibly...they are not all that they seem... {that doesn't necessarily mea
1. Danger

Danger

OK, Nemico Mortale is Italian…don't ask what it means. ^_~ I know but I'm not telling till later. 

Thanks to Kozuka, Neya, Hitomi Toshihiko, Ashiko-chan, and Angel Wing Yuy!! 

@-------

AC 206

"So you've heard of it?" Wufei asked him for the fifth time. Heero's eyes darted from the computer monitor 6 inches from his face and to his friend Chang Wufei, who seemed on his last nerve of the day.

"Yes. Operation U. Terrorist mission." Heero responded lightly. Wufei twitched.

"Obviously, Yuy. You know what their first order of operations is?"

Heero nodded, wondering briefly why he was responding to the agitated Chinaman in the first place.

"Assassinate Vice Foreign Minister Darlian." Heero answered calmly. Wufei sighed.

"You're not the least bit concerned?"

Heero allowed himself a slight smile. "Of course I'm concerned, Wufei. But I can't properly protect Relena if I'm running around like a panicked five-year-old."

"TO-U is a bigger problem than last year's half-witted man leaping at Ms. Darlian with a steak knife. It's organized and professional. They know what they're doing, Yuy."

"So do we, Wufei." Heero assured him. Wufei studied him momentarily before grinning. 

"You never cease to amaze me, Heero." He chuckled, bemused. 

~*~*~

Relena's fingers did an annoying little tap dance on her conference portfolio resting on her lap. Heero reached over from the opposite seat in the limo and set his still hand on her fidgety ones.

"Oh," She said, startled, breaking her gaze from the window. "Was it bothering you, Heero?"

Heero relaxed back into his own seat. "Just a little, Ms. Darlian."

Relena smiled. "Please Heero, how many times do we have to go through this?"

"Apparently not enough, Relena." He said, the corners of his mouth twitching.

"I'm not the only one preoccupied," She said pointedly. "What's your excuse?"

"Assassination threats, terrorist notes, bombings..." He shrugged. Relena laughed out loud. 

"Just business as usual, I see."

~*~*~

Relena looked back to Heero, who seemed to be hovering behind her. "Heero, what's _really_ wrong? You normally don't circle me like a vulture."

Their eyes met, and Heero thought he might be taking it to the extreme after all. But he in truth was more worried than Wufei. Might as well tell her. 

"There's a terrorist mission to assassinate you on this trip, Relena." He told her calmly. She still watched his face, hoping to see some flicker of emotion, possibly worry for her safety. Inwardly she sighed. What she had with Heero was all she'd ever had and all she would have. She'd only seen him truly react to something very few times. Finally giving in to the fact that it wasn't the true love she'd imagined as a young girl, she'd tried finding happiness somewhere else, but always needed him near her. Whether or not she had his love, she needed his strength. 

And doing this had proved better than she could imagine. After several dates with a few bad choices, Relena provoked Heero into becoming extremely protective of her…even to the point where he supervised her dates for a year. Naturally scaring half of them away. Despite this, Heero didn't manage to scare away Nathan Smithe.

Now Relena had Nathan, the man whom she loved more than possibly natural. An amazing man, and an even better father to their daughter. She had her true peace, she was happily married, and she had her small daughter, Wing. A tribute to her true friend, who was as prepared to sacrifice his life for true peace as she.

"Another assassination attempt?" She finally responded. "So?" 

She caught him off guard. When his eyes darkened and his jaw gaped open, Relena took a quick step back in surprise. "Heero, it's not that big of a deal…you're here…"

The flare in his eyes disappeared as if it had never been there as the soldier of his past regained control of his reactions. _Heero, I try so hard to break you of that…it's been eleven years…can't you let go yet? Sometimes…seeing you smile…hearing you laugh…but then you become the perfect soldier once more,_ Relena thought grimly. 

"Thank you for the trust in my abilities, Relena. But this one will be different. Zechs' and Wufei's worry is wearing off on me." Heero said, placing his hand on her shoulder. She shook her head, smiling softly. 

Heero supported her, if not the pacifism she worked for. She'd seen him chuckle during her speeches…but he was _there_. That's what counted. She had Nathan…and what she felt for Heero was very different than what she had thought it was.

"You don't have to be nervous. We have a meeting to get to," She said, taking a step away. Heero watched her for a moment before nodding solemnly and following her. 

~*~*~

The kid was annoying Heero. He could barely manage to keep his eye from twitching let alone bash the arrogant young man's face in. He'd definitely be talking to Relena about her choice of escort security. 

"How old are you, again?" Heero growled. 

"Twenty." The fair-haired boy said quickly. 

"Well, I'm very sorry you won't live to twenty-one." Heero said as his fist readily collided with the boy's jaw, knocking him to the ground. 

"Heero!!" Relena shrieked from somewhere behind him. Heero choked out a surprised gasp as Relena shot forward and kneeled to the boy. "Lee?! Are you okay??" She pressed loudly. 

"Relena…?" Heero questioned, bewildered. Relena glared at him for a moment. 

"This is Nathan's brother, Heero!!" She scolded, then returned her attention to Lee as Heero's face burned with embarrassment. 

"I'm okay, Relena…" Lee groaned. He sat upright and smirked at Heero. Heero twitched in response and Relena glowered. 

"Heero, I know you're still upset about our discussion earlier, but I don't need you taking it out on my officers! _Especially_ not my twenty-year-old brother-in-law!!"

"Relena," Heero retorted in his defense, "He was refusing the duties I was assigning him!!"

She sighed loudly. "Heero…switch places with Lee. You take over surveillance, will you? Lee will be my First this time and ride with me."

The rejection stung. Heero Yuy, reduced to surveillance?! 

He saluted. "Yes, Vice-Foreign Minister." He said flatly. His response was equally painful to Relena. He saw it in her eyes. Every time he returned to the cold exterior of the past, her eyes waver with rejection. Rejection of her efforts. 

At a time like this, Relena could not afford to sacrifice proper protection, especially not because she wanted to give her brother-in-law a little practice as First. And yet she was. 

"Heero," She started again, and Heero felt an overwhelming urge to look away from her agonized eyes. 

__

You protect me, I protect you. Relena, you just broke that. This was the first time in the ten years I've been your guard, Heero thought as he walked off to get some extra ammo for his gun. 

As he loaded the magazine and tucked a few extra ones into every possible place on his body, he thought harshly on what had just happened. They were a team, what the hell had that been about?!

Relena worked for peace, and no battles need be fought. She saved countless innocent souls in her prevention of war. 

And Heero protected Relena. Kept her alive to further her ideals. Most of the time he felt like her big brother, an emotion very alien to him. 

Her efforts _were_ working. There were changes…small at first and hardly noticed. But at the same time, he always drew away subconsciously from her and her help. 

Then there was always Wing. He was, after all, the small girls' godfather…and though he resided in Sanq along with Relena, he rarely saw her or her family. Relena ruled Sanq indirectly, but eventually it would be passed to her child who would rule properly. 

When he _did_ see Relena, Nathan and Wing, he ended up spending a great deal of time with the bright-eyed girl of four. And all she wanted to do was stay on his shoulders, laugh and hug him. Not even he, Heero Yuy of the Wing Zero, could ignore that kind of adoring attention. 

How could he not equally love the girl when the first word from her lips was "Hewo"? No…she still couldn't pronounce his name correctly, more like "Hero"…but it didn't matter. 

With an amused chuckle, he made his way back, muttering a half-hearted, "Ninmu Ryoukai,"

~*~*~

Heero arrived at the conference center first to secure the area. A few moments later, a couple Sanq Kingdom officers also arrived, since they weren't part of Relena's security escort. One of them Heero recognized dimly from 195 as a member of the Treize Faction. 

There were crowds everywhere, and it was difficult to secure the area without arousing suspicion. The Italian sovereign had wanted this meeting to be top secret. 

Soon, Relena's car was approaching. Lee was the first out of the car, then helped Relena out. Heero watched from the corner of his eye. Bringing up his wrist where he had his communication transmitter, he calmly noted,

"Officer Lee, please report to Ms. Darlian that the area has been secured. Over." 

"Roger." Lee said smartly. Heero rolled his eyes. Even the simplest comment got a sarcastic tone in return. He brought his wrist up again, watching Lee and Relena walk up the conference building. 

"Unit 6, what's your position? Over." He asked placidly. 

"South of the building, sir. Over." 

Heero glanced around and saw the officer standing a bit from him, also keeping close watch on the scene. 

"Roger that, you are in visual." Then he smirked. "Try not to stand like a living statue, Unit 6. Over."

"Yes sir. Over." There was a pause. "Sir, look behind you," The man said in a strange voice. Heero turned around slowly and his blood turned to ice. 

A man, stumbling, running like mad. Trying to get as far away from a building 500 yards from where Relena stood. Instantly he knew. 

__

A bomb!! There's a bomb in that building!!

And then he realized that two of Relena's officers were 10 meters from the building!! He brought his transmitter up to his face and shouted urgently, 

"Unit 5!! Unit 3!! Get the hell out of there, NOW!"

__

Too late…

He heard it first. The soft rumbling boom from the corporate building, and the trembling of the ground under his feet. 

"No…" He choked. A millisecond passed, and the building went up in a flaming inferno…one that brought the death and destruction he knew so well. Anything within a hundred yards was instantly incinerated. Heero shielded his eyes from the light, and his skin burned with the heat. 

But his mind was completely blank. _That couldn't have been TO-U…_ He thought dully, _That couldn't have been…_

He somehow recollected what Wufei had said the other day. "Half-witted man with a steak knife"…Well, this was a half-witted man with a bomb. A lot scarier and a whole damn lot more deadly. 

He looked up at the blaze again, and saw a figure sprawling out away from the building, the blasts knocking them to the ground. Heero set off at a dead run through the fiery debris. Somewhere in the distance her could hear Relena's panicked "NO!"

He reached the person struggling to return to their feet and leaped on them, sheltering them from the second explosion Heero had somehow predicted. 

Hot white fire blazed past him, scorching his back and burning through his uniform. Not able to stop himself, he let out a low wail of pain. Beneath him, the figure let out a frightened shriek, making Heero acknowledge it as a woman. 

When the fire reduced back into the burning building, Heero's arms gave out, and he collapsed onto the girl he'd saved. Moments later he staggered back up and studied her, wondering why she hadn't even twitched when he fell on her. The thought crossed him mind that she might have passed out or died somehow. 

No…she was conscious. She was holding her shoulders, curled up into a ball, trembling. She was a small Italian girl, short but she had to be around 19 or so. Dark olive skin, ravens-black hair to her waist. It had obviously been much longer…the fire had burned away about 6 inches of hair. Looking at her clothes smudged with black, seeing the Italian Royal Crest on her shoulder, he realized something.

This girl was no civilian. She was royalty. 

"Hey," He whispered, shaking her shoulder, "are you okay? The explosions are over." 

She trembled another moment. Then her eyes flared open and she came to life. She twisted beneath him and they were face to face. Her eyes were a bright jade green. What surprised him was her reaction. In her eyes, he saw raging hatred. 

"You idiot!!" She spat darkly, "What the hell did you go and do that for??"

@-------

AnimeCat: OK, this is just a test. This is the prologue, not the first chapter. Can I please get some reviews for this? I've been working on the plot and the first 2 chapters for almost a week now…I'd hate to see it go to waste. Sorry about any OOCness…I tried my best to not have any but I'm not sure…

I know I really didn't go into the story well, too much on Heero and Relena's relationship, or lack thereof, but I wanted to give a clear idea of what might have happened in the years past and how they've grown on each other. Did I do okay? 

Ya wanna know what's up with that girl? Review!!


	2. Soldier

****

Soldier

AnimeCat: Just to make sure no one is confused, Madeira and Mariemaia are two completely separate girls. 

****

@-------

Lying face down in a hospital bed hours later that evening, high on hospital painkillers, Heero thought of the angry Italian girl. 

He had second degree burns scattered along his back, first degree burns on his shoulders where the blaze hadn't been that bad, and a long, etched third degree burn for good measure down at his waist where the fire had touched him. All in all, he wasn't in good shape. 

At the scene, he'd been too dazed to even realize the pain, but even later, his old training had made it difficult to acknowledge his injuries (1).

It was Relena who had pushed through the crowds and kept him conscious after the girl had punched him square in the face, kneed him in the mid section and took off. He actually hadn't felt much of this, either, only the dull throbbing in both places and the blood on his uniform from his nose proved that he hadn't imagined it. 

He was trying to concentrate on healing, God knows he could be walking out of the hospital by tomorrow night if he concentrated hard enough. _Damn sedatives!!_ He thought, mentally cursing the doctors and their mind-numbing drugs. 

He tried directing all of his energy to the wounds on his back, but his mind kept drifting to ravens-black hair and bright green eyes, a certain arrogant guard, and…pink bunnies?!

Overcome with a curious sort of wonder, Heero spent a few hours thinking about pink bunnies before the mental and physical fatigue caught up with him and he finally surrendered into sleep.

~*~*~

Relena was sitting in the chair next to Heero's bed when he finally began to move 15 hours later. She'd called her husband to assure him that she was fine, and had arranged the conference to a different date. 

"Heero?" She murmured. Heero's head shot up, his eyes wide and face pale.

"Hazel-rah! The Efrafans are coming for us! Take Fiver and run!(2)" He shouted loudly before he could think. Relena blinked at him. Though she could only see one angle of his sharp-featured face, she could see him turning red.

"Interesting dreams, Heero?" She grinned. Heero turned to her, his embarrassment still plainly obvious on his face.

"Er…yeah." He mumbled. He was silent for a moment. "What happened? Did the bomber get away?"

Relena looked away. "No," She said in a small voice. Heero tilted him head, evoking a twinge of pain from his shoulders. 

"What happened?"

"Well…the bomber was running by, and we didn't know what to do…"

"We?" Heero asked accusingly, suddenly beginning to understand. Relena didn't stop, she continued as if she hadn't heard him.

"So Lee took out his gun and…" She broke off, watching Heero's infuriated expression.

"He killed the bomber??" Heero demanded loudly.

"Heero," Relena rose to her brother-in-laws defense, "he didn't--"

"That _fool!!_ We needed the bomber _alive!!_ What the hell was he thinking??" Heero shouted. His back was screaming in pain but he couldn't feel anything. 

"Heero, he thought the bomber was coming after me!!" Relena cried out.

"Did he say that or is that what you think??" Heero snarled. 

Relena's eyes widened and her mouth gaped open wordlessly. "I--"

"Where did he shoot the bomber?" He interrupted her. 

"Well…" She averted his gaze.

"Where??"

"The head." She finished. "The bullet killed him on contact."

Heero sighed deeply. "Relena…when you aim for the head, you're aiming to kill. In training Lee should have learned to aim somewhere else, even in a dire emergency."

Relena swallowed hard, her head lowered and she stared harshly at her knees. "Are you going to take him in for this?" She asked softly.

Heero studied her. "For you Relena, no. I will punish him in the method I will decide but I won't take him in."

She looked back up to him, her eyes bright. "Really?" She asked, unsure. Heero nodded. "Thank you, Heero! I'd hug you, but…"

Heero nodded again. "I'd actually prefer it if you didn't."

Relena smiled. "Okay then, when you're healed. So concentrate on healing, Heero. I put the meeting off for next week…will you be ready by then?"

Heero grinned. "Hell yeah."

~*~*~

Madeira paused at the door. 

"Anything wrong?" Naiad asked her lightly. Madeira shook her head. 

"Nothing wrong…maybe I'm a little nervous." She answered, straightening the collar and sleeves of the green dress that Naiad had loaned to her. Her uncle hadn't been too thrilled when she had come home last week with six inches of her hair singed off and her ceremonial family uniform almost burned off her body. Finding out she'd been near the bombing helped her very little. She hadn't elaborated that she'd been _right there_ and that someone had saved her. Just let him stew over the family uniform that was over 50 years old rather than let him know she hadn't been able to save herself. 

Madeira hadn't begged her uncle for two years as a youngster for military training to go and get herself killed in a freak terrorist incident. The first Brindisi female in 100 years to train as a soldier had to keep up to her uncle's rules.

Considering the honor of his ward first, Nicholah Brindisi had said no to letting her attend military academy. The daughter of his dead brother would grow up alongside his own son and heir to his throne, marry some diplomat and live a happy life. 

She would _not_ grow up some crazy soldier full of bloodlust. 

Not like his brother had.

But after two years of rebellion on Madeira's part when she was just 8, Nicholah finally agreed to watch Madeira in an amateur sword fight. Then he watched her fire a few guns. 

He saw that she was very, very talented. An unfortunate twist, bearing in mind that he and his wife had hoped to raise the girl as a true princess, pink ribbons and the works.

He knew that he should let her train after he saw her talent. With a few rules. 

One, if she messed up-- it was over. He didn't want to hear about her mishandling her weapons or being a danger to the other soldiers. And she had to be able to put her training to good use. Hence, saving herself in an emergency. 

As a request from his wife, who was probably prouder of Madeira's enigmatic and mysterious beauty than Madeira herself, who could care less if she looked like Miss Universe or the bottom of her uncles' boot, Madeira had to keep her hair like a lady should, long and shiny. She couldn't cut it, she had to take care of it. Her thick hair was a constant source of annoyance for her but she dealt with it. 

After 12 complete years of training in almost all fields she could possibly imagine, Madeira was ready. She wanted to be a soldier. She'd never been in action, during both wars in the past ten years she hadn't been allowed to participate. 

And now her dreams were coming true. If this was the door to oppurtunity, why wasn't she knocking?

"Madeira…come on, just open the door. You've been training for this for a long time…you're ready." Naiad assured her. Madeira turned to the wife of her cousin and smiled. 

"I know, Naiad." She said, and took a deep breath before knocking three times lightly. Her uncles' gruff voice called out a quick "Come in!" and she opened the door wide to step in. 

Madeira briefly looked around the room. The Vice-Foreign Minister sat opposite her uncle at the long conference table. Nicholah had his guard, and at the other end of the table, Relena Darlian had her own. On his face lit an expression of recognition. 

Instantly recognizing him, Madeira sighed. "Damn."

~*~*~

"It's about time you got here, Madeira!" Lord Brindisi said gruffly. "Ms. Darlian has been very patient but I believe it's wearing thin."

Relena shook her head, smiling as Heero stared blankly at Madeira. He didn't know what to think…and this was definitely not the place he expected to see this girl again. She was staring back at him like she couldn't believe it, either.

"Heero?" Relena questioned softly. He broke away from Madeira's bewildered gaze and nodded, a signal to show he was fine and to continue. Lord Brindisi gestured to the ebony-haired girl and she sat down next to him, looking alert. 

"My niece, Madeira." He introduced her. Relena murmured her greeting and Heero kept himself from grunting. He didn't even look at her, he kept his dark eyes on Brindisi. "Madeira, this is Vice-Foreign Minister Darlian and her guard."

"Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Darlian." Madeira said tonelessly. Brindisi straightened himself and kept eye contact with Relena in a business-like manner. 

"Vice-Foreign Minister, I understand your views. However I like the way I'm handling my nation. There's a very low level of poverty--"

"But there is a high level of crime, Lord Brindisi." Relena interrupted stiffly. "I am not proposing that I take over your country, sir. I am suggesting an alliance and the right to teach your people my principles on pacifism and citizenship." 

Brindisi studied Relena's fierce expression. Heero almost smirked. This was Relena's element. It was times like these when she showed her true passion for peace that showed how strong she really was. She wouldn't back down and he knew it.

"All right…" Brindisi said, half amused. "Madeira is a fully-trained soldier…take her with you back to the Sanq Kingdom, teach her these 'principles' of yours. If you can convince her, you'll convince me."

Relena paused. "She's a bit old to be one of my students, sir."

"As a guard, Vice-Foreign Minister." Brindisi said. "She will become part of your security, and see how you run things. She doesn't have the patience to sit through classes. Give her a little hands-on."

__

What?! She's coming with us?? Wonderful, Heero thought grimly, _As a bodyguard she'd be under _my_ unit…damn. Just what I need, _another_ rebellious teen._

"Are you sure, Lord Brindisi?" Relena questioned, watching the girl. Madeira was so stiff that the only times she could be defined as living rather than dead was when she blinked or her eyes darted around as she observed the room. Relena could hardly even tell when Madeira was breathing. 

"Yes, I'm sure. She's been begging me to let her be a soldier since she was 8."

Relena was silent for a moment longer. "Okay…" She finally said quietly. "I'll take Madeira with me and try to teach her what I can."

Madeira and Brindisi both smiled. 

"When will you be ready to go?"

"Ms. Darlian…I've been ready for this for years." 

And she grinned.

~*~*~

About an hour later, Heero stood in front of the building with Relena as they waited for Madeira to come back out after saying goodbye to her family.

"What's wrong now, Heero?" She asked. Heero didn't look at her.

"I don't want that kid coming with us." He said coldly. Relena snickered. 

"You sound like a child, Heero. Why shouldn't she?" 

"She'll be trouble." Was all he could find to say. "We don't need more stress than we already have. And I called Preventers HQ, Zechs and Wufei went up to MO2 to meet up with Sally Po. And Noin is going, too. She'll be gone before we get back."

"Why are they all leaving?" Relena asked, confused. "What about Dorothy? Is she going, too?"

Heero shook his head. "They're doing a follow-up on a few rumors about shipments of Gundanium being sent out. Routine procedure, Relena. Dorothy is still at HQ for all I know. You see what I mean? With everyone gone, we don't need the extra pressure of a little soldier wannabe--"

"I'm ready." Madeira said softly, coming up behind them. Heero and Relena both turned around. Madeira stood alone, out of the dress with a pair of jeans and a red shirt on, carrying only a bag slung over her shoulder. Relena nodded. 

"We're catching a flight back to Sanq in 3 hours. There are a few more things Heero and I have to take care of before we leave." She informed her. Madeira cocked an eyebrow. She turned to Heero. 

"Well, since I didn't catch your name in there, I'm guessing you're Heero?" She commented. Heero nodded.

"Yes." He responded. Madeira looked down at her watch.

"Ms. Darlian, as anxious as I am to begin working for you, I think I'm going to catch an early flight. You don't really need me now, since you've got your," Madeira smirked and spoke in Italian for a moment, "guardio del corpo here with you." 

She brushed past them and walked down the steps to the busy street. "See you in a few hours, Malattia Darlian!"

Madeira disappeared from their sight as she melted into the crowds. Relena turned her head to Heero. They both blinked. At the same time, they spoke.

"What did she call me?"

@-------

AnimeCat: If you've managed to stick around after this…thanks! And I do know the meaning of each and every Italian word I use. I'd have to, ne? Review!

1-Mystic Avalonian priestesses were trained similarly. They could ignore hunger, pain, and sleepiness. So its like they were in a constant stage of mental denial, and they won't feel it unless they want to. 

2-If you've read Watership Down…this will make sense. Watership Down is a fictional book about rabbits…Heero has some strange dreams, ne? ^_~


	3. Trouble

****

Trouble

@------

Madeira took a step off the plane and glanced around. She let out a small impressed grunt at the sight of the elegant city in front of her. 

"Not so bad, Malattia…" She commented quietly. She stepped off the narrow stairs and into the crowded terminal. Despite the fact that she looked very different from the rest of the civilians there, with her tan and being as short as she was, she blended very well. She was twenty-two going on twenty-three, but her mother and grandmother had both been short women, raised in poverty. 

Born in poverty, raised in poverty, at least only one of them had to die in poverty. 

Madeira sighed as she walked, looking around for someplace where she could buy a map. Her father was Paulo Brindisi…married to the short Regina Vano, the little one dressed in hardly anything but torn and dirty rags. When her uncle Nicholah took over the nation, with his sister-in-law in mind, he tried creating a nation that took care of its people. Regina had been so delicate…the exact opposite of Madeira most of the time. 

Madeira had been three and a half when an accident claimed the lives of her mother, father, and over 70 civilians during a plane crash in China. She'd been playing in the nursery with her five-year-old cousin at the time, with her aunt watching them as she drank her tea. The only thing Madeira could remember from that day was the teacup hitting the ground and shattering as Louisa Brindisi shot to her feet after being informed that her sister- and brother-in-law had died. 

"Don't think about it," She commanded herself, "just don't think about it…"

She found a newsstand, bought a map, and concentrated on getting to the palace of Relena Darlian and her family. 

~*~*~

The intercom buzzed, a familiar sound, but very alien in the normally bustling office. Desks and computers surrounding her own were empty and dark, the only previous sounds had been the clicking of her own computer keys and the quiet music emitting from her desk radio. 

She turned down the volume, cutting off the sound of "My Graduation" by SPEED(1).

She clicked the intercom. "Yes?" Dorothy asked distractedly. 

"Miss Catalonia, we have a young girl here demanding entrance."

In the background, Dorothy heard a angry growl.

"I'm twenty-two, you mother-(2)"

Not wanting to hear the rest of that comment, Dorothy clicked it off for a moment. She turned it back on and waited for the security guard to speak again. "Who is she?" She asked when it still remained quiet.

"My name is Madeira Brindisi." The girl spoke, her voice muffled from the intercom. The older blonde woman paused, trying to remember where she'd heard this name. The email, she reminded herself. She'd received a very short email from Relena, telling her about a "Madeyra Brindisi" coming as an exchange guard who might show up in a few hours. 

"Er…show her in, Oren." Dorothy said uncertainly. She looked up from her work, watching the door, wondering what to expect from this abrasive-sounding girl. A minute or two passed, and the door to the central office opened, letting a short, pretty, dark-haired girl in. She had a worn bag slung over her shoulder, but set it on the ground. Madeira didn't look at Dorothy right away, not even looking in her direction as she briefly studied her surroundings. 

"Just you in here?" Madeira finally looked to her, jade eyes glinting with the overhead light. She put one hand to her jean-clad hip. 

Dorothy cocked her head to the side, thinking, _Who does this girl think she is?_

"Yes. You're Madeyra Brindisi?"

Madeira's eyebrow rose. "It's Madeira. Deir, not deyr(3). And to answer the question, yes, I am." 

Dorothy had ended up being of an average height, and still was rather taller than Madeira, who was past her growing stage and stuck at the height of 5 '2. It made Dorothy want to laugh. 

"Well, Miss Madeira, I don't handle the soldier recruiting, you will have to wait for Mr. Yuy to come back, and that won't be for another two hours at least. You might want to walk around or…something…" The look in Madeira's eyes, which were locked onto Dorothy, seemed familiar in many ways. It was the look of one who always knew what to do to make sure the outcome was in her favor. 

When Madeira grinned, it caught Dorothy somewhat off guard. "Miss?" And she chuckled quietly. "That's a first. Is that protocol or what?"

Despite the attitude, Dorothy Catalonia decided that she liked Madeira. "Yeah, it is. It's what I was raised and taught to do. Unless you'd rather me call you Brindisi?" Dorothy shot back with the same grin.

"Madeira is fine, I don't care much for protocol….?" Madeira left the sentence lingering, meaning she didn't know Dorothy's name. 

"Dorothy Catalonia," She finished. Madeira nodded. 

"I've heard of you." The girl mused. "Duke Dermail's granddaughter, right? You worked for Romafellar." 

"How did you know that?" Dorothy asked quizzically. 

"I've done my research." Madeira shrugged.

"I did…. I even worked with the White Fang, but that's history." Dorothy said truthfully. Madeira studied her expression.

"You're not lying." Madeira stated. Dorothy felt puzzled. It was a statement, a fact, and not a question. "When you say its history, you mean it."

"Of course I mean it," She retorted halfheartedly. She was bewildered. "Why would I lie?"

"People change, opinions change, what you think sometimes isn't the way the future is gonna lay it out for you. But in your face, in the way you talk about it, the honesty is always there." She was quiet for a split second before she shrugged it off. "Anyway, I'll wait for 'Mr. Yuy' to come back right here, if you don't mind." She spoke in a tone that said she would be waiting there, even if Dorothy did mind, which she didn't anyway. 

"It's fine," Dorothy said. Madeira nodded and sat down at Noin's abandoned desk. Dorothy went back to work, occasionally looking up inconspicuously at Madeira. 

The girl sat quietly, her eyes shut, arms crossed, and stayed this way. Dorothy shrugged and turned the volume back up, just in time for the end of the song. 

Dorothy grinned as she could hear Madeira humming to it lightly.

~*~*~

When the private jet landed in the Sanq Kingdom, Heero didn't accompany Relena back to her mansion as he usually did, but it was still early, he would see her later at the HQ.

He sighed with exhaustion, running one hand through his hair as he opened the door to the central office. At least he wouldn't have to see Lee again until the next day. _Or maybe I could take a day off…_ He thought, feeling a brief twinge of pain in his shoulders. _Its not like Relena wouldn't let me._ But he shook his head. He'd only been off one day in all these years, Heero really didn't know what to do on days off. It was pointless anyway, one more night of rest and he'd be fine.

He took a step into the large business room. His eyes widened at the sight of Madeira, honestly he'd forgotten about her. 

She turned her head to him as the door creaked open. She said nothing, merely looked at him with a strange expression. 

"Welcome back Mister Heero," Dorothy's voice brought his gaze to her. "Where is Miss Relena?"

"At home, she'll be coming here later. She's bringing Wing, so remember to lock up the ammo."

Dorothy nodded. "Yes, sir." She gestured to Madeira and the younger woman stood up stiffly. "You know Madeira already, right?"

"Yeah." Heero agreed in a low voice. Madeira's level gaze with him broke, and momentarily her attitude wavered. "I'll take her to the officer's quarters, draw up her files for me, will you?" He looked to Dorothy and she nodded. "Come on." He motioned to Madeira. With a split second pause, Madeira grabbed her bag and said something to Dorothy in Italian. A quick look passed between Heero and Dorothy before they figured it must have been a goodbye.

"Goodbye, Madeira." Dorothy said politely as the door to the office swung shut, once again leaving Dorothy in the quiet. Even though she had not spoken much to Madeira during the last few hours, she would still somewhat miss the company of the short girl. She sighed before returning to work.

However, Madeira's words were still echoing in her head.

~*~*~

Madeira followed him silently as they walked a half-mile to the quarters of all Sanq Kingdom military personnel. The Preventers HQ had been relocated to the Sanq Kingdom, and it shared the six-mile piece of land that the Militia HQ was placed in. 

The entire military compound was very large, and it was far from Relena's mansion and the institution. Sanq was still very much a pacifist nation, but it did need its own protection from numerous yet insignificant forces that _still_ opposed Relena's principles. Their small, but perfectly capable militia was completely made up of old soldiers and younger recruits to handle all security and defense of their peaceful nation. 

Heero was First. The head officer, he had the highest position in his department. Not that he'd received it by Relena's favoritism. His first day in the Sanq Kingdom was his first day in training, with Zechs as head officer. It had been by Heero's own request that he start with the rest of the recruits, to test Zechs in some way. He had risen to the top quickly, and he _had_ worked for it.

Now he, Zechs, Wufei and Sally Po were the heads of the separate departments, the militia and the Preventers. Wufei and Sally ran the Preventers with Une as their voice in space, the grown Mariemaia Khushrenada working with her. Zechs and Heero had a few problems starting out, but now mutual respect kept them from jumping each other's throats. They were the heads of the militia department. There were four other officers who helped run the six units of the department, Heero with Unit 1, Zechs with Unit 2 and others. 

Madeira kept up behind him, despite his furious pace. He wanted to know what the hell was wrong with her, was she some suicidal maniac? Not that he hasn't known his fair share of those, but still… 

Worse still, was she connected with the bombing?

But he actually had some inwardly thought that this was some game between them, which could handle it for longest? Which of them could not mention the burns, the singed hair and the bruises? 

Well, he would win this twisted game. 

He didn't have to wait long.

"I know what you're thinking." She said coolly. He kept walking, and he didn't respond at first. Nor did she even look at him as she spoke. She kept her gaze on the collection of buildings they were approaching.

"We've got a mind reader now, ne?" He said sarcastically in a flat tone. "That's interesting."

She grunted quietly. He turned his head slightly, just to be able to see her out of the corner of one eye. Madeira was looking at him now, the same way. Nonchalantly, like it didn't matter anyway. 

"Do you expect an explanation?"

"It'd be nice." Heero said coolly.

"I don't feel like giving you one." She replied curtly. 

"Fine then," Heero shrugged. But the movement caused his shoulders to seize up momentarily. Madeira sighed, actually sounding annoyed. 

"I'll pay for your hospital bills." She said as she sped up a tad, and the increase of speed actually did take more out of her than it looked like. 

"They've been taken care of." Heero said, and remembering the _weird_ dreams he'd had in the hospital brought back a faint recall of the painkillers. "Did you have some kind of death wish?"

Madeira gave him a momentary look before shaking her head. "I overreacted."

"But you're not sorry?" Heero prompted indifferently.

"No." She said calmly. "I'm not sorry. I may not be happy with my own reaction, but I really wasn't happy to be saved either. I can handle myself."

"I really wouldn't have known that, Kiddo." He spat. Madeira hissed something incoherent. She stopped in her tracks and slowly Heero eased up on his walking and turned to her.

"Okay, _that_ kind of talk is ending right now!" She continued hissing. Heero looked at her as if she wasn't even speaking English. The expression was so convincing, Madeira momentarily wondered if she'd forgotten herself and yelled in Italian.

"What 'talk'?" He questioned placidly.

"That 'Kiddo' crap." Madeira snarled. "I'm not a 'kid', and such preferences to my height will _not_ be tolerated!! I don't care if you are the boss around here or what, I'm not a child. I'm twenty-two. If you're going to call me anything, call me Brindisi, because I don't think I'd like the sound of my name on your lips."

Heero studied her face. "Fine then, Brindisi. I frankly don't care what you call me. And for the record, it had nothing to do with your height."

Heero was being honest, God knew he'd practically been a _gnome_ the greater part of his teen years, he'd had his long-awaited growth spurt sometime around eight years ago, bringing him to a total of 5 '5. Duo and Quatre weren't as lucky, they'd averaged in at about an inch taller than they had been, making them both 5 '3, Quatre being around 3cm taller than Duo. It had nothing to do with her height at all, it had come from no where. 

"Oh." She mumbled. Heero shrugged and returned to his walking. They approached the main building of the compound, and Heero entered a small office in a corridor as Madeira waited patiently in the hall. Minutes later he emerged with a clipboard and escorted her across a drilling field to the two-story building. 

As they walked, Heero proceeded into military protocol, having the intention to only say it once, and Madeira could tell. 

"Okay, I'll assign you to your room, and after you settle in, go back to HQ and get fitted with your uniform and gun." He handed her a small map. "Every officer has shifts, and there are six units here in the militia department. But since you came here directly for guard duty, you'll probably only have one shift and you'll end up spending as much time with me as you do Ms. Darlian." He sneered slightly. "You're in Unit 1, that's mine. You'll spend two weeks in basic training with me and the other recruits, and you'll drill every morning when and _if_ you get through it with the other officers, starting at 4:30, so I hope you're a morning person." They were going up to the second floor, and Heero continued talking and Madeira listened to him attentively. He handed her a few more papers. "You get one day off every two weeks, do whatever you want with that day. I advise you go to town or something, because if you hang around here, you'll get pulled back into your duties, and no one else knows or cares about your schedule. Later today I'll have Oren show you around the compound. He'll explain everything else to you." 

Madeira nodded, and he opened one of the doors in the hall. He held it open for her and she stepped in, glancing around. It was simple looking, but nice. Like a small cheap hotel. She dropped her bag onto the bed and peered out the small window to the left of her bed. It overlooked the drilling field. 

"Its great." She said lightly. 

"Glad you like it." Heero said casually. "You'll get to know all of Unit 1 eventually, but it rotates. There are about 150 soldiers in all, and there's another one of these buildings on the other side of the compound."

"Okay," Madeira said, now looking idly around her room, which was reasonably sized. Not that she had much to fill it with anyway. Even though she really didn't like time off (it was a waste of time, in her opinion), she assumed she would use them anyway to get to know the Sanq Kingdom. 

"After basic training, you get your paychecks on your days off, salary depending on how much work you do and your rank." Heero kept on. "I'll look over your records to see if there's anything else we can assign you to, this is a pacifist nation after all, and when Relena is out of the country you might not have much to do."

Madeira didn't look at him, but she raised an eyebrow. _Who ever said I wouldn't be coming with her?_ She thought, amused, _I'm her guard._

"Anything else?" She prompted. Heero paused.

"I guess not." 

She turned and gestured toward the door. "Training starts tomorrow," He said as he stepped out. "See you then."

Madeira watched him go; noting that she could barely hear his steps in the hall. "See you then," She repeated him quietly. "See you then." 

****

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AnimeCat: Stick around for chapter four, anyone? ^_^ Review!! Please?

1-AA!!! A J-Pop song I can't get enough of!!! ::hums My Graduation::

2-Madeira has a filthy mouth, ne? ^_~

3-Madeira- Mah-deer-ah. Dorothy's pronunciation was "Mah-dare-ah" 


	4. Stars

Stars

****

@-------

"Hero!" Wing shouted happily, leaping into Heero's arms. He caught her, knocking the breath from his lungs but her held her. Relena raced up the steps panting, her face red but she was smiling. 

"I don't know where that girl gets her energy!" Relena said breathlessly. She groaned as she walked with Heero into the HQ, Heero still carrying her daughter. Wing had her face buried into his shoulder, her arms twined around his neck. Heero was smiling gently, and Relena could see it out of the corner of her eye. "Let me warn you…never run in high heels!" 

"I'll take your word for it," Heero mused, setting Wing down as they stepped through the door. "How's Nathan?"

Relena smiled brightly. "Very good, he was showing me Wing's artwork from school. I wanted to show them off," She grinned, "but I left them at home." 

"It's fine," Heero commented. Wing returned to his side and held his hand. "I can't wait to see them." He said to the little girl in a childish voice very unlike his nature. She giggled. 

"He asked about you, how's your back?" Her voice was concerned.

"Much better, tell him thanks." 

Relena looked around for a moment, her expression curious. "Is…"

"Madeira here?" He finished for her and she nodded. "Yeah, she's here. By now she should have her uniform, she starts training tomorrow."

His friend studied his face. "Heero…" She said cautiously, "I don't like that look in your eyes…" She gave him a strange look. "You're going to pick on her, aren't you? Why?"

"I'm not going to 'pick' on anyone. And I told you, I don't like her. Both her and Lee are gonna work harder than ever before tomorrow." Heero said icily. "I have to go pick up Madeira's files, come on."

Relena nodded and they quietly walked to the central office where Dorothy stood to greet them. "Welcome back, Miss Relena!" Dorothy chirped, then reached back to her desk and retrieved a small pile of papers and handed them to Heero, who flipped through them. Wing let go of his hand and began to explore the office as Relena kept an eye on her.

"Thank you, Dorothy." Relena said warmly to her friend. "Has my brother called?"

"Miss Noin did, they should be back in about two days. Mr. Chang is taking the rumors much more seriously than the rest of them."

"He would." Grunted Heero, amused. Relena smiled inwardly, and kept to formality and business.

"And how is the search coming along?" She asked, taking a seat at her brother's desk. With a note of amusement and a little annoyed disappointment, she glanced at a small chunk of reddish metal on his desk, obviously a piece of gundanium, a little broken piece of the Epyon. She pointed it out silently to Heero, who only cocked an eyebrow and shrugged. He kept a mangled piece of Wing Zero in his room, and a familiar green tank top in his dresser. It wasn't good to hold onto the past like that, but he needed to be reminded. He _needed_ to remember that life was never as perfect as this, he needed to remember all he went through to attain this peace and the pain for this nation he was calling his home. It kept him sane on some level. 

"It's coming along as good as ever," Dorothy said simply. Even after ten years, the Preventers were still looking for stray mobile suits in space and on earth. "Mr. Winner," She looked a bit distant for a moment, her actions all those years ago still haunted her sometimes. Dorothy followed business protocol diligently, refusing to call anyone but "miss" and "mister" until the workday was over. "Mr. Winner's team has found thirteen prototype Leo's on L1."

"Thirteen?!" Relena gasped. "That many? How many were functional?"

Even Heero was a tad surprised. How many mobile suits could there possibly be after all this time? 

Dorothy nodded, "Only two were functional, they were older models. They've been shipped to Mr. Maxwell to dispose of them." 

Relena listened alertly and nodded. "Good to hear." She turned to Heero. "Heero? Anything interesting about Madeira's files?"

Heero continued reading, but nodded. "Yeah…her uncle wasn't kidding."

"Eh?" 

Heero put them down on his desk next to his computer. "She's had twelve years of military training. Nine years of fencing, ten years of assorted martial arts…" But mildly he thought, _Not one day of mobile suit training…that used to be required for a soldier…_

Relena let out a low whistle. "Impressive." She said. 

"I was pretty surprised when I pulled them up," Dorothy said, sitting back in her chair. "We have very few soldiers who are even half as well trained."

Heero sat down in his own chair. "I know of some better." He said breezily. Relena gave him a questioning look and he leaned back in his chair, an amused smile on his face. "Zechs, Wufei, Duo, Quatre, Trowa," And he smirked up at the ceiling as he leaned even further back, "and me."

~*~*~

Madeira wandered through the Preventers HQ curiously, studying the halls, wondering where and to what they led to.

She heard voices coming from the central office as she made her way along, and knew that Yuy was probably in there with Dorothy. But she heard a softer voice, and realized that Malattia Darlian must have come.

Malattia was 'Lady', the closest thing Ms. Darlian would be getting to a formal title. 

Madeira slipped further down the hall, and opened the door without knocking, which turned out to be a rather stupid thing to do.

She took one step into the office, heard a chair hit the floor and found two handguns aimed directly at her. Her eyes widened and she froze. 

Dorothy immediately put hers down, looking abashed. A small child darted towards Relena and buried herself into the woman's arms as Heero kept his gun level.

"Knock." He growled, and sat the gun on his desk. "Always knock."

"I noticed you didn't earlier." She retorted, shutting the door behind her. Heero picked up his chair from the floor. 

"I was expected. You were not." Heero said curtly. "This is a government building, and until every single person here knows exactly what you look like, you'd better knock. Because of that bomb back in Italy, we're doubling security. Watch out." He warned her coldly. Madeira nodded. 

"Thanks for the advice."

She looked at the small golden-haired child who Relena had in her lap. Relena gave the girl a gentle shake, and the girl looked at Madeira questioningly. 

"Madeira, this is my daughter, Wing." Relena introduced her daughter lovingly. Madeira kneeled in front of Wing with a smile. 

"Hello, Pricipessa." The Italian woman murmured. Relena cocked her head to the side as Wing smiled sweetly. 

"Pricipessa?" She asked. Madeira looked to her. 

"Princess." She translated. Relena smiled. 

"That's sweet. What about those other ones?" 

"Malattia?" 

Relena nodded. "And that other one." 

Madeira stood up and sat on the desktops as four sets of eyes in all shades of blue watched her. 

"'Lady' and 'bodyguard." She answered, pulling up her legs and sitting Indian-style on the desk, which happened to be Wufei's. 

"Did Oren show you around?" Heero asked as he turned his computer on, filling the air with a static feeling. Madeira shook her head. 

"No, he was busy and I have already grated on his nerves today. I decided to show myself around."

Heero gave her a sharp look. "Look, I don't want you wandering around here. No one knows you and if you get caught in the wrong place, you'll be in trouble."

Relena made a sound. "Heero, calm down. It's _not_ that big of a deal if security finds her."

Her sea blue eyes locked on his cobalt gray ones and he could tell she was demanding to know why he disliked Madeira so much and was harsh with her. He sighed and averted her intense gaze. 

"Is something wrong, Miss Relena?" Dorothy questioned, sensing the tension. Heero said nothing, and Relena remained silent as well. Madeira let out a loud sigh, again sounding annoyed. 

"Captain Yuy and I have met before." She said lazily. Heero glowered at her but she ignored him. 

Relena was bewildered, and her eyes darted between her two guards. "Really? Why didn't you say so? When?"

"Just about a week ago." Madeira shrugged. 

"Relena," Heero picked up where Madeira left off. "Madeira was the one at the bombing, the girl I saved."

Their eyes were on Madeira again, and the short woman frowned. Relena's eyes widened and she gasped quietly. Dorothy's jaw dropped. 

Both Heero and Madeira grunted in unison, Madeira crossing her arms over her chest and frowning coldly. To Heero, she looked like a pouting little girl, more childish than Wing. 

Heero turned away from the speechless Relena and Dorothy and the frowning Madeira perched on Wufei's desk. He locked his eyes to his computer, and concentrated on researching the police reports about the bomb.

"Madeira," Relena started, but Madeira shook her head and hopped off Wufei's desk.

"I'm going back to my room." The girl snapped irritably. She took quick steps and left the room silent and stunned in her wake.

But not Heero.

He was smirking.

~*~*~

Maybe sleeping with her window open hadn't been such a great idea after all. Madeira woke up brutally uncomfortable in a bed that wasn't her own, and it was damn freezing in her room.

She clung to her dark blue sheets, trying to soak in as much warmth as possible. 

"Mmph…" She groaned, and rolled over to face her ceiling. Unfortunately her bed in Sanq was much smaller than her bed back home in Italy. 

She tumbled off her bed with a small shriek of surprise and lay on the floor face down, a tangle of sheets and limbs. 

"Well this sucks." She complained into her carpet. She stood clumsily, rubbing her hands against her shivering arms. Madeira walked to her open window and slammed it shut, swearing quietly in Italian. She looked down at the drilling field, dew covered and sparkling with light from the lightening sky. 

Madeira paused and tilted her head as someone stepped out into the middle of the field, and stared out into the fading stars. 

Her eyes narrowed in cold recognition. "Someone's an early riser." She said sardonically, watching the fully awake and dressed Heero Yuy stare at the sky. With a grunt, she stepped away from the window and proceeded to get ready for training. 

~*~*~

Heero heard soft footsteps in the grass behind him, and his graze broke from the glittering stars. Madeira was walking past him, combing her hair. 

She wasn't looking at him, but somehow he knew that she had been watching him, even though he hadn't seen her.

"Morning." He said loudly, making Madeira snap her head in his direction. "There's still another half hour before you have to get out here, go get something to eat."

"Okay." She responded, nodding. And she stepped away without another word. Heero merely shrugged, his attitude about her casual. He'd had some time overnight to think about it. Madeira was here, he couldn't help that, so he'd have to deal with it. And her skills were an asset, a major one. 

He grunted and stepped off the field. 

~*~*~

With annoyance, Heero realized there were only 24 soldiers standing in front of him. He looked back to Oren, who was watching to get a little experience, soon he would have his own unit. 

"Who's missing?" Heero asked the man. Oren looked over the assembled soldiers prepared for drill. He recognized the dark-haired Italian woman from yesterday, making him a tad angry all over again. 

"Smithe is missing." Oren stated. Heero's forehead furrowed. 

"Dammit. I forgot about him." He said under his breath. After the rotation, this would be Heero's new unit for a few weeks. He assumed Lee had started under a different unit, which would explain why he hadn't known his name or who he was. At least he only had to deal with Lee for a few weeks, then he would switch to Unit 2 and be Zechs' problem. Madeira was another story. "Where the hell is he?" Heero asked icily. 

"Captain Newman had the same problems, sir." Oren said, "The boy tends to sleep in."

Annoyance and anger stirred within him. "How did Newman deal with it?" He asked. Oren grinned slightly. 

"He'd usually send me in with a bucket of water, sir."

Heero cocked an eyebrow. "Really? Hn, I like the sound of that." He mused. 

"Should I get the bucket, sir?" Oren offered, his eyes lighting up. Heero grinned. 

"No thanks, Oren…" He took a step away. "I'd like to do this myself. Handle things here." 

Oren grinned as Heero walked off, then returned his attention to the other 24 soldiers. _Payback time, _he thought, glaring at Brindisi.

~*~*~

Coming back from a two-mile run, the soldiers lined back up. Madeira came back last, wondering why Oren had demanded she run three instead of two, but the thought didn't bother her for long. She looked forward, and saw Heero standing waiting for her, giving her a dangerous look.

She matched this and walked by him, also passing a boy a year or two younger than her but taller whose hair was dripping wet and he looked rather angry. The boy's eyes lit up at the sight of her, and Madeira stared at him rudely, wondering who he was and why he was looking at her like that. 

"Nice rack." The boy said loudly, grinning. Madeira's jaw dropped open, and her green eyes flared with anger. Without a moment's hesitation, she stepped toward him, with full intention to do some damage. Heero was quicker, coming up behind him. She paused, thinking that Heero was defending the boy. 

"Get in line, Brindisi." Heero said lowly. She gritted her teeth and gave both Heero and the boy murderous looks. But she stepped down and got in line. Heero put his hand on Lee's shoulder and twisted the boy violently around to face him. "Smithe," He said coldly, "I don't care if Brindisi has a 'nice rack' or an eye in the middle of her forehead." He poked at Lee's head hard, making a red blotch. "When you're here in _my_ arena," He gestured all around the drilling field, still keeping one finger jabbing hard at Lee's forehead, "you pay attention to _me. _You will get here on time, and you will respect Brindisi and all the women in this unit. _Understood??_"

~*~*~

Her body ached horribly, like it had when she's first started training when she was just a kid. But still she was smiling, thinking of the day. After the regular workouts and drilling, Yuy had made the boy Lee work harder than anyone, with the 20 men and 4 women of the unit watching him. 

Training had ended a few hours ago, but by the time Madeira finally made it back to her room to sleep, it was late and she was exhausted beyond belief. She collapsed onto her narrow bed, not even bothering to change clothes and was asleep in moments. 

That night, she slept so soundly that she didn't even hear the sound of the explosion that wiped out three buildings downtown and killed 126 civilians. 

****

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Review??? PLEASE???? 


	5. Terrorist

Terrorist

****

@-------

When a few drops of cold water dripped onto her head, Madeira stirred sleepily, trying to wake up. When an entire bucket of icy water was dumped onto her, she shot up, screaming bloody murder. 

She wasn't surprised to see Yuy standing at the side of her bed, a large bucket in his hand. He didn't look too happy, but then again, she wasn't thrilled either.

"What the hell??" She screeched loudly. He pointed to her window, and Madeira gasped in surprise to see the sun low in the sky. It was five thirty in the morning, she'd overslept an hour!!

"It's your second day, Brindisi. This doesn't make you look very good." He said coldly. Biting back the violent words she wanted to call him, she fell back onto her wet pillow with her hand covering her eyes. 

"You should take it as a compliment, I haven't worked that hard in years…really wore me out…" She groaned, then sat up and wrung the water from her hair. Yuy smirked. 

"I will. Thanks." He said. 

"Look, I'll be down there in five minutes, you already saved me a shower…" Madeira eyed him coldly, "I'll just get dressed and I'll be there soon."

An unreadable expression crossed his face, and he stepped away from her bed and turned around. "Not in your drilling uniform, drills have been canceled for today."

"Hn? Why?" She asked, standing up and staggering to her closet, pulling out her white and blue uniform. 

"It might be your second day, but you're going on duty today." Yuy said tonelessly. She stared at him questioningly. He stepped toward her door, and spoke in a low monotone. "We have to meet Ms. Darlian downtown. There's been a terrorist bombing." 

~*~*~

As the press badgered Relena with questions, Heero kept his furious eyes to the bombing site. He assumed that he should rescue Relena soon from the camera's glare, but at the moment his world was frozen. 

One hundred and twenty-six people had died. He shook his head in disbelief again. One hundred and twenty-six innocent civilians. Recovery teams swarmed from place to place, hoping for survivors. Madeira had disappeared into the crowds before he could assign her to any specific duty, and he was keeping his eye out for her. 

There was a loud _chink _and a tin can rolled toward his feet. He looked up into level green eyes, and briefly thought, _Speak of the devil._

Madeira stepped toward him, and bent forward to pick up the can she'd kicked at him. 

"Brindisi, don't walk off like that." He said lowly. "I'm supposed to assign everyone to something."

She gave him a look. "Don't even think about it. This is my first day on duty, and I'm not even a real guard. Today I'm observing. I want to see how you and Malattia Darlian handle things like this…" 

Heero twitched at her cool response. "I see your point, but you should discuss this with me before you run off. And this kind of thing hardly ever happens, so pay close attention."

She grunted, smirking. "And what about the one in Italy?" She questioned.

Heero sighed, shaking his head. "That was an isolated incident. I looked into it. The man was a disgruntled employee, getting revenge for something that company has done. The building was partially empty…but other than five bystanders in addition to you and I, there were no survivors within 100 yards."

Madeira couldn't hide the slight sadness in her eyes, and she really didn't give that much effort into it. "So is this just another isolated incident?" 

"I wish it was. But I can tell…it's the start of something larger." And with a bitter glance into the sky, he swore violently. She lifted an eyebrow. Casually she brushed her hair off her shoulder, and peered over Heero's at Relena.

"They are really harassing her over this." She said with a note of sympathy. Heero turned his head, and saw Relena struggling with the questions. 

"I told you, this doesn't happen here…and it was huge…so many people died…" His voice slowly became soft. "Come on, let's go rescue her."

Madeira nodded curtly, and kicked the small Pepsi can in the opposite direction. 

She got to Relena quickly, leaving behind the distracted ex-pilot to his thoughts. At the moment, one reporter seemed to be getting to Relena the worst of all, so Madeira turned her attention to the woman, who was hardly taller than herself.

The woman had longish dark blue hair, which although it was a color Madeira had never seen before, she found that she rather liked it. It was elegant, somehow. 

The woman rotated in her direction, and her silvery gray eyes locked on Madeira. She approached in a manner that reminded Madeira of a lioness...pouncing on her prey...

"Hi, I'm Siriya Kakana from WWN, are you one of the recovery workers?" She asked firmly. "What can you tell us about this incident?"

Madeira paused. "No, I am not. I am one of Relena Darlian's bodyguards, and I am not at liberty to speak of it." She answered stiffly. Siriya sighed. 

"Damn...I'll never get my story." She said soulfully. The reporter eyed Madeira for another minute. "Don't I know you?" She puzzled.

Madeira shook her head doubtfully. "I don't think so, Mrs. Kakana."

"Its Miss, and call me Siriya." She continued to study Madeira. "What's your name? I never forget a name."

"It's Madeira." Was the short reply. Siriya snapped her fingers and her face lit up with recognition.

"Yes! I knew it! Madeira Brindisi! Don't you remember me?"

Bewildered completely, Madeira uttered a small, "No."

"Three years ago I went to Italy and I did a special on your family! I interviewed you! What are you doing here?"

Madeira dug through the library of her mind, trying to place Siriya. And then it came to her. 

~

__

"So your uncle doesn't mind you training like this?" 

"My uncle knows talent when he sees it." 

~

"My God!" Madeira marveled. "Yes, I remember you!"

Siriya smiled. "So all that training is finally being put to use?"

The ebony-haired woman nodded, "Yes, I've been assigned here."

Madeira had the intention to continue talking with Siriya, but an angry growl behind her jerked her around to face an angry Heero Yuy.

"Talking to the press?!" He seethed. Madeira was appalled. 

"No!" She said heatedly. "I know this woman, we were not talking about the bombing!"

Instinct kicked in for Siriya, however, and she pounced upon Heero with her questions.

"Get away from here..." Heero spat, "or you will be arrested."

Siriya snapped away from him with a grunt. "Fine. Thank you for your time." She stepped away, mumbling a goodbye to Madeira. 

Siriya was hardly out of hearing range when Heero turned on Madeira, his mouth full of angry words. _My God, it's hardly 8 A.M. and we've already grated each other's nerves practically to the breaking point! Is that even possible?_ Madeira thought with amusement, although the thought annoyed her. 

"Don't _ever_ talk to the press about things that go on in this department!" He hissed. 

"What makes you think that?!" The woman retorted icily. "For your information, I know that woman. We spoke of nothing important. Yuy, sometimes I think you go out of your way to pick a fight with me about something." Then she took a step back, surprised at her own sudden outburst. She hadn't intended to say that. 

Heero regarded her sourly. "Well, maybe you have something there, Brindisi." He said quietly after a deadly silence. "Admit it, though. You try just as hard to annoy me."

She glowered at him. "Just returning the favor, sir." 

Heero was about to return with yet another cold, sardonic comment when Relena let out a small shriek, nothing to alarm him but he quickly twisted around.

Relena was hugging a much taller man, with a familiar head of brilliant platinum hair. "Zechs." Heero commented to himself. He was somewhat pleased to see the affection between the two siblings grow over the years, when it had started so emptily. 

Zechs lifted his head from his sister's shoulder and glanced at Heero and Madeira who stood near him. He nodded slightly, a greeting to his old rival, and Heero returned the gesture. 

"Who's that?" Madeira asked. 

"Ms. Darlian's brother. He's in charge of Unit 2. His name is Milliardo, but mostly everyone, including myself, calls him Zechs." Heero informed her simply. At the same time, they began walking toward Zechs and Relena, who had parted and were talking in quiet voices. 

"Hey Zechs, welcome back." Heero said casually. 

"Thanks Heero," Zechs returned, "I came back as soon as I could, Noin went back to the HQ. Wufei will be back tonight with Sally." 

"All right." Heero nodded, and noticed Zechs looking at Madeira. "This is Madeira Brindisi, a new recruit." He introduced her. 

Zechs extended his hand toward the young woman practically a foot shorter than him, and she shook it. The subject quickly turned to back to more important matters.

"What can we do?" Relena asked softly. "You were right to be worried, Heero."

Heero made a face, wishing she hadn't used that choice of words. Both Zechs and Madeira were smirking ever so slightly. 

"I feel like such a fool…" Relena sighed, "Oh yes, double security around _me_ while my people are defenseless! What's wrong with me?!" 

"Relena!" Heero said savagely, "Don't start talking like that! We can't have you falling apart at the seams-- this is crucial and we need you." 

Feeling stunned by Heero's outburst, she silenced, then sighed again. She felt Zechs place his hand on her shoulder, comforting her, and she saw a compassionate twinkle in the bright jade of Madeira's eyes.

"He's right, Relena." Zechs said, "We'll send the solders out here…but you still need to be protected."

"A country needs its leader to be strong, and they will look to you for guidance and feel protected." Madeira said placidly. "So do that, protect your people as your first priority…but make sure you stay alive to keep them protected."

Relena looked to her, a kind expression written upon her face. She had been feeling awkward about Madeira (yesterday hadn't helped)…and suddenly some of the doubts in her mind had lessened. _Maybe Madeira won't be as difficult as I thought._

"Thank you, Madeira," The woman said, smiling faintly. Madeira nodded. Heero and Zechs both looked at her, but said nothing. 

"We'll call everyone here…" Heero said suddenly, "And we'll come up with something."

As looks of agreement came over the faces of Relena, Heero and Zechs, Madeira wondered, _Who is 'everyone'?_

~*~*~

There had been no further terrorist activity for three weeks, and Heero nervously wondered what TO-U was planning. 

Arrangements for a meeting had been set for this afternoon, and everyone was coming. Madeira was done with her basic training, and although she was one of Relena's bodyguards, she was not allowed into the meeting. How useful would she be in a room full of ex-Gundam pilots and Oz soldiers?

She hadn't been too happy about it, which hadn't surprised him. 

~

__

"What do you mean?!" She gaped. "Why can't I?"

"It's a private meeting, Brindisi. I'll fill you in on all necessary information, but other than that it's confidential." 

"But I'm Malattia's guard, too! I should be there!" She looked so rebellious…her hands on her hips and a wild look in her eyes.

"You aren't needed!" He said fiercely, "Listen to me, dammit! I'm still your senior officer! You have no right to question my decision!"

Madeira paused, fuming. He could tell she was fighting some internal battle. He could see decisions dancing around in her eyes. In a way all too familiar, she saluted him coldly. "Yes, sir. Excuse me." 

And with that, she left. 

~

He'd been surprised at _that…_very surprised. Was she learning to give him respect? He doubted it. _God she's strange. _Heero thought oddly. 

He quietly stalked through the halls of the HQ, occasionally looking out of the windows at the driveway, hoping to see his friends soon.

Heero now found it peculiar that he thought of them that way…how the years had changed him and his way of thinking. And they _were_ his friends, the best anyone could have.

Again he looked out a window. He could see a few workers standing around a chosen section of grass out there. 

Three days after the bombing, Relena planned to have a memorial service that would take place in about a month, the reason for the wait was because she was also building a memorial statue with all names of the casualties engraved into the beautiful marble. 

A car pulled into the driveway and parked. Heero waited to see who would emerge. 

Sunlight struck a short young man's pale blond hair, and Heero smiled faintly. The angelic looks of Quatre Raberba Winner had not left him, but they'd shifted into something stronger and more adult…but still soft and angelic. 

Heero stepped out the door quickly, and met up with Quatre outside his car. Quatre's face lit up with excitement. "Heero!" He said happily. Again smiling, Heero extended his hand out, only to be completely ignored as Quatre hugged him. 

Thoroughly stunned, Heero awkwardly patted Quatre's back until the shorter man had released him. "Sorry," Quatre said bashfully. "I've just missed you."

"I know...its okay." Heero said kindly. 

"Save some of that action for me, Q." A woman's voice teased. Heero turned around, wondering what it was, and when he laid his eyes on the woman, he welled with anger.

"You!" He spat at Siriya. "What are you doing here?!"

"It's nice to see you, too." She said dryly. 

"Quatre, why the hell did you bring a reporter here?" 

Quatre stared at him blankly. "Heero....she's not here to do a story or anything...she's my girlfriend." The young multi-millionaire said gently.

"What?!" He gaped. Siriya nodded. 

"Listen, man, I was just doing my job. But that's not what I'm here for, I just came to be with Quatre." Siriya said in her defense. Heero looked at them both. _God, I'm making a fool out of myself more and more often!_ He scolded himself. 

"Okay...fine..." And he tried to shrug his mixed shock and anger away. "How'd you meet?"

"Last year." Quatre said happily. "When Winner Co. funded a college on L4. She was the reporter who interviewed me about it."

"Oh...that's nice." Heero responded, not really knowing what to say.

"Is anyone here yet?" Quatre asked, diverting the conversation away from Siriya with a light flush on his cheeks. 

"You're first, come on in." He turned to Siriya. "But you can't come to the meeting. Go find Brindisi or something." 

Siriya made a face but agreed. She kissed Quatre on the cheek and walked off, the sun hitting her dark blue hair and making it shimmer.

Quatre breathed deeply and took in the sight of the glorious Sanq Kingdom. "Wow. I haven't been here in so long." He sighed.

"Don't forget why you're here." Heero warned him, and the blonde man nodded. 

"Don't worry, I remember." He assured his friend. And he sighed. "Allah…I wish that just once, we can have a reunion that has nothing to do with war."

~*~*~

Madeira walked through the halls of the HQ, proudly wearing her Imperial blue and white uniform, and taking her ID card just in case she got caught somewhere. She was on duty, and she was merely on watch of the corridors in the east of the building. It was boring, but as least she would only have to until the meeting was over. 

She'd had her first morning off, but all she'd done was go shopping quickly for some clothes. All she'd needed was some boots and jeans, however, she somehow ended up with a pastel green shirt that said _"Care to Dance?"_ in curvy letters. Why she'd bought it, she had no clue in hell. And she also had a few hairpins to hold her thick hair up so that it would no longer be an annoyance for her. 

She looked out the window and saw that several cars had parked out front. Madeira sighed. She wanted to go to the meeting! Slowly she was making her way past the conference room door.

She stopped at the door, staring at it in sudden bewilderment. But after a moment, she moved on, wondering why she'd heard someone say, "The God of Death will forgive you for that…now gimmie a hug, Wu-man."

@-------

Review?! Please?! ::holds up a chibi Heero:: Heero wants you to!


	6. Wings

Wings

Wings

@-------

The boy spoke in a slow, lazy voice. Although Madeira was glaring at him icily, he continued to talk to her and stare at her body, completely oblivious that she was mentally ripping him from limb to limb. 

"So…" He drawled, "Are you part of some Mafia thing?" 

Madeira shot him a murderous look. "Excuse me?!" She snapped. 

"You know…hit men and stuff?"

The pretty Italian woman grunted. "I am from a royal bloodline, fool. You've seen The Godfather too many times. That kind of thing doesn't happen anymore." She said shortly. Lee looked at her blankly. Casually he glanced over at the grass, where Wing was picking small white flowers for her mother. He hated having to play baby-sitter. He also had to take her to town in about a half-hour, to 'spend some quality time' with his young niece. 

"I've been to Italy." He started again.

"I know you have." She interrupted. "You were there with Malattia and Yuy when I met them."

Lee shook his head. "I mean I went to Italy when I was a kid. I went when I was 16."

Madeira looked over to the child. "Shouldn't you be watching your niece? You're hardly paying attention to her." She said, and thought, _And leave me the hell alone? _

"She's fine." Lee shrugged. Madeira was about to come back with something, when she heard someone calling her name.

"Madeira!! Jeez! I've been looking for you all morning!" A woman shouted in exasperation. Madeira looked around to face the soft silver eyes of Siriya Kakana. Surprise flickered on her face momentarily. 

"Siriya?" She questioned. "What are you..?"

"Aw, my boyfriend is in the meeting…that guy from last month was hassling me, I can't go in." Siriya complained. 

"Join the club." 

Siriya shrugged. "Hey, sorry about getting you in trouble with him." 

The woman waved the apology away. "I wasn't in trouble, its no big deal." She glanced sideways at Lee. "I'll show you around," She said, hoping that Lee would not attempt to follow. She smirked for a moment. "Granted, I can't show you the Militia HQ, but the grounds of this place are great." 

"Sure thing." She smiled, and followed Madeira away from the pale-haired young man. He watched Madeira with excited eyes, his imagination wandering. 

As the images in his brain turned to things that would make a nun faint, Lee Smithe smiled. (1)

~*~*~

"So there hasn't been any contact?" Duo Maxwell asked. "No notes? How did you find out about TO-U in the first place, then?" 

The tall woman seated next to him nodded. "Do you know their demands?" 

Heero and Wufei sighed inwardly. "They haven't contacted us at all. It was a rumor, something we pieced together through connecting other small terrorist attacks in the neighboring countries." Heero responded. Duo and Lady Une accepted the answer and fell silent. 

"Do you think the rumors of Gundanium shipments are connected to TO-U?" Relena asked quietly. Heero's eyes darkened instantly. 

"I should hope not, Relena." He said tightly. The other eleven people in the room nodded solemnly. 

"That would be disastrous." Sally Po said coldly. "If TO-U is serious…millions might die…"

"It's a revolution, these people want some kind of new order…possibly a new ruler…" Quatre spoke up.

"Well, democracy sure didn't work!!" Duo spat. "After we elected what's-his-name as the World Nation president, look what happened!"

"You're not talking about me, are you?!" A young red head questioned bitterly. Bright indigo eyes rested upon Marimeia Khushrenada, and shook his head. 

"No. Not that." He said truthfully. Marimeia sighed, and Lady Une wrapped her arm around the young woman's shoulders. 

Everyone else knew what Duo had meant. The World Nation had been challenged brutally by all kinds of groups, and eventually, the young nation resorted back to monarchy after only 5 years. The president had been a good man, and had been assassinated three years after election. The president directly after was no good, and his weak spirit for peace was the direct cause of the World Nation's collapse. 

"But…isn't this what everyone wanted? It's why he was killed! For monarchy! And now they don't want it anymore?!" Zechs said in a dangerous tone. 

"We can't rule out dictatorship…they want one sovereign…possibly a military dictator…like the Alliance and Oz…" Trowa Barton pointed out. All former Oz and Alliance soldiers nodded in agreement. 

"And Relena…" Noin started quietly, "Relena is probably the biggest obstacle they have to face…"

"…They're trying to get to me through my people…." Relena murmured. She didn't look up at the eyes of her friends. A cold chill spread through her body, she was scared…for one of the first times in her life. They didn't care about hurting her, they only wanted her powerful influence out of the way. So TO-U was striking where it hurt…the people of Sanq. The defenseless civilians of the Sanq Kingdom were their targets. 

With empty, cold eyes, she looked down at her watch. "Well…we've certainly been in here a while. Lets break for a little while. Go get some lunch." And she shut her eyes and leaned back in her chair. 

Without another word, the other eleven stood up, and began walking to the door, leaving Relena her time to think. 

Marimeia looked out the window as she passed it, gazing onto the nearby city. _So beautiful, _she thought, _why would anyone ever want to hurt this?_

And she paled as the ground beneath her feet trembled. 

In horror, Marimeia watched a large building disappear into white fire as it exploded. 

~*~*~

The scene that lay before Heero Yuy's eyes was a familiar one, yet it still sickened him. This time the casualty list was much shorter, only 63 dead, but that was 63 too many. Everyone had disappeared off to some duty, leaving him to stand amongst the debris and watch. He couldn't help but feel directly responsible. Something like this, something this big, it could have been avoided if he'd worked harder…

__

You didn't take it seriously, did you? He questioned himself. _You just figured, big deal, a bunch of no-name terrorists having fun with some explosives. Let a few hundred people go up in a big boom, its out of your hands anyway. _

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lee approaching with Wing. Instantly he reacted, racing over to the idiot. 

"Why the hell did you bring Wing?!" He spat. 

"We were in town, sir. I'm not on duty today. I was watching her, and I came over to see what happened." Lee responded coolly. 

"Then stay where you are, and keep your eye on Wing. This is a dangerous place, I actually think you should take her home." Heero continued. 

"We'll be fine." The younger man said icily. "I'll watch her." 

Heero frowned and walked away, gritting his teeth. 

Lee smirked at his own tiny victory. His eyes scanned the destruction, looking for a certain Italian beauty. And he saw her, helping a paramedic with a survivor. Her uniform was smudged with dirt and blood, her hair a mess, and her face marred by dirt and a small cut. As the survivor was taken to an ambulance, Madeira drifted around to help someone else. She caught him staring at her, and glared at him murderously. 

In all of this, Lee did not notice when Wing pulled her tiny hand free and wandered off, looking for her mother. 

~*~*~

Madeira wiped her forehead, taking a moment to breathe. Dust was thick in the air, the scent of blood and smoke overwhelming. "I need a second…" She told the paramedic she'd been assisting. "I can't breathe…"

The taller man nodded, and thanked her for her help. She staggered away, gasping for clean air. She almost tripped on a piece of bent metal, but regained her composure quickly before she fell. She stopped walking and stood there, panting with sweat pouring into her eyes. 

After a minute or so, she continued walking. She finally put a fairly good distance between herself and the destroyed building, and sat down on a chunk of concrete. 

Her head snapped up as she heard a high-pitched childish giggle. _What's that? Who would bring a child to this place?! _And her eyes searched the crowd for the source of the giggle. 

Madeira spotted a familiar bright blonde child walking near the road. "Damn!" She exclaimed to herself. "That's Wing!" She stood, and began to walk in Wing's direction. _I need to get her away from there before a car co-_

The woman was not even able to finish that thought as she saw an ambulance approaching at top speed. Her blood turned to ice and her heart skipped a beat as the ambulance raced down the road, which Wing was just beginning to cross. _They don't see her!!! Oh God!!!_

"WING!" She screamed as loud as her voice would allow. "GET AWAY FROM THE ROAD!!"

The girl stopped in the middle of the road, and turned to look at her. Madeira broke into a desperate run, making it to the street. The driver that had not seen Wing _did_ see Madeira standing protectively a few feet from the small girl. Letting out a loud shout in surprise, he frantically turned the wheel to swerve and avoid hitting her. 

Madeira didn't even blink when the ambulance failed to swerve. 

~*~*~

"WING! GET AWAY FROM THE ROAD!!"

Heero twisted around violently, hearing Madeira's panicked scream. His eyes darted around, and locked upon the road. There was no time to get to the street, and bitterly he knew he was too late to stop what was about to happen. 

Wing had made it across the road, and Heero's eyes were now on Madeira as the ambulance slammed into her. She flew upward, hitting the hood and shattering the front window. The ambulance screeched to a stop, and Madeira's limp body rolled off of the hood and lay in front of the ambulance wheels, blood slowly beginning to pool beneath her. Her eyes fluttered, and closed slowly. 

Many people screamed in horror. 

Several others screamed her name helplessly. 

It was not until later that Heero realized that he was one of them. 

~*~*~

Holding her daughter tightly to her chest and rocking slowly back in forth, Relena cried quietly. Wing was silent, as were the two others in the room. Relena cried for her child, whom she had nearly lost, her people, who she might continue to lose, and the woman who nearly sacrificed her life for Wing. Not one person could honestly say that they believed Madeira had lived. The accident had been too serious. 

However serious it had been, she lay merely unconscious now, in a hospital room down the hall, a few hours after surgery. There had been some internal injuries, a few broken ribs, her collarbone and a large bump on the head. Tests concluded that there was no permanent damage. 

"Relena…" Heero spoke lightly, "You can stop crying. Wing is fine and Madeira…well, she'll _be_ fine."

Relena shook her head. "She would have given up her life for Wing…without hesitation…oh God…" She nestled her face into her daughter's soft hair and murmured, "She's an angel." 

Heero resisted the urge to snort. Wufei, who had only come as the driver for them after discovering Heero had a rather serious hand injury from a hysterical survivor who had actually _bitten_ his hand, looked toward Heero from the corner of his eye.

"I haven't exactly met with Brindisi…" He said simply, "but I can tell one thing about her from what she has done today." 

Relena turned to him, her eyes red rimmed and watery. "What's that?"

"This woman knows the price of honor." He spoke swiftly, words like that were practically alien to him, but still honestly. "From what you've said about her," He kept one eye on Heero, who remained stoic, "I assumed she was another woman trying to 'prove' herself with false motivations…but today….only people with true intentions to protect would so easily give their lives."

Heero shut his eyes, the words burning holes into his soul. _He's right…not just about Madeira, either…damn… _

And it was at this moment that he realized he'd been calling her by her first name. Somewhat amused, he smirked. _I guess I've just found a whole new level of respect for that girl. Hn, wonderful. _

He looked down to his bandaged hand, and briefly thought of the woman who had bitten him. He'd reached into a pile of broken concrete and twisted steel, and suddenly the woman had clamped onto his hand like a rabid dog. Although he had been bleeding rather profusely, he did not even look at his hand until he'd pulled her from the pile. And even then, he'd been too distracted by Madeira getting hit by that ambulance to even bother with his hand. 

She'd bitten near the base of his thumb, which would make writing and shooting increasingly difficult. He found the fact that he'd actually been _bitten_ was so unusual that undoubtedly Duo would find some way to make it funny by the end of the day, unless even Duo Maxwell was too distracted by the bombing to crack a joke at his friend. 

An elderly nurse came around the corner into the waiting room and softly announced that Madeira had woken up. She actually seemed rather surprised. 

"You're welcome to visit her, but only one at a time." And she nodded her head cheerily and walked off. Relena and Heero exchanged a quick glance.

"Go." She said firmly. Heero narrowed his eyes and muttered something incoherent before standing and walking down the hall to Madeira's room. He paused at the door, then hesitantly turned the handle and stepped into the room. 

Madeira's head snapped up, and gazed at him with a bewildered expression, looking distant from the medication. Inwardly he grinned. _Ano,_ Heero thought, _tenshi ha, doko a o bata no tsubasa de a ro ka? _(2)

@-------

Review? Please?

1-EWWW!! ::hits a chibi Lee:: 

2- "Hm, angel, where are your wings?" {Arigatou, Ayumi Hikaru!!}


	7. Obsessed

Obsessed ****

Obsessed

This chapter, and all others following (9, I hope ^.^} are dedicated to Ashiko-chan, who has been the best supporter for NM and all of my fics ^_^ Anyone who hasn't read her fics {especially ZERO Tolerance!!!} is missing out big time on some incredible writing!

@-------

"W-what are you doing in here, Yuy?" She stammered, staring at him with her bewildered jade eyes. Truly the last person she'd expected was Heero…after waking up she assumed it would be Malattia or Dorothy…

"Ms. Darlian thought it best that I see you first." He answered simply, and pulled up a chair next to her. Eventually her gaze on him lost its question, and he tried to sound remotely friendly. "How do you feel?" 

Madeira groaned and flopped back onto her pillows, after which a pain-filled moan followed. "Like hell…" She muttered. 

__

I know what that_ is like…_he thought, amused at her choice of words. "Well," he said, "you _were_ hit by an ambulance." And he paused before resuming in a gentle voice, "No one expected you to come out a alive, Brindisi." 

The woman smiled feebly up at the ceiling. _Surprise, surprise…_she thought. "Expect the unexpected, I guess…" She voiced. 

He grunted, crossing his arms across his chest and getting comfortable in his chair. "Funny." 

"Is Wing all right?" Madeira asked after a brief silence, her voice filled with meaningful concern. "She didn't get hurt, did she?" 

Heero shook his head. "She's fine….the ambulance missed her completely." He hesitated again, his eyes narrowing and he gritted his teeth. "I…I owe you an apology." He muttered hoarsely, and averted her stunned eyes when she looked at him.

"What the hell for?!" She exclaimed. 

"…I didn't take you seriously." He admitted, keeping his eyes on his knees. "I thought you were messing around with this. But people don't throw themselves in front of moving vehicles for the fun of it." 

"You can say _that_ again…" Madeira moaned. She kept her eyes on him, and gave him a quiet thank you. He nodded, and there was another uncomfortable silence. In a way, she wished he would go away. His presence was somewhat of an annoyance, and the silence was eating away at her. But then again, she appreciated his efforts to apologize, and she knew he was grateful for her rescue of his goddaughter. 

And then he spoke up again, bringing conflicting thoughts to a halt. 

"You're crazy." Heero informed her matter-of-factly. She smirked sarcastically, holding back the urge to roll her eyes.

"Why, thank you." She responded politely. 

"You've only been here a month, Brindisi…and I'm already running out of reasons why everyone shouldn't like you."

Her eyes flickered, not with anger, but rather with amused curiosity. "Is _that_ why the unit has an attitude with me?" 

"In all but the cases of Smithe and Oren, I'd say so." 

Madeira sneered at the mention of the young man, and her eyes flashed with intense hate. Both Heero Yuy and Lee Smithe were the only two people she'd ever known to flare her anger the way that they did, but even then there was a difference. Yuy was a constant thorn in her side, but it was still possible that on some level she respected him. Still, she would deny such a preposterous notion when confronted with it…

Lee was…an idiot. The less she saw of him, the better. He constantly followed her, pestering her with ridiculous and sometimes rather personal questions. While Yuy would stimulate annoyance…Lee destroyed all patience and made her consistently want to slap him. Other violent things came to mind, involving guns, knives, and even rabid raccoons…sometimes all at once….but that would hardly solve anything. 

Madeira looked to him again, the rage beginning to dissipate. "Why do you call me crazy?" She inquired. 

"Again-- you've only been here a month…and I have to eat my words about you. It's been a long time since one of the Darlian family members have come into public danger, and it was a newbie who took the fall. And it wasn't for Ms. Darlian…you jumped in front of an ambulance for her daughter, who you have only met once or twice." He rambled for a moment, trying to convince himself as much as Madeira. _And I know I would have done the same…so that makes you crazy…_

She smiled, which caught him a little off guard. "When I became a bodyguard for Malattia, I became a guard for her family. I would just as soon save her third cousin, even if I had never met them, as I would save her."

"…Of course, all but her brother-in-law." He grinned. Madeira let out a small burst of laughter, and nodded. 

"I would sooner save _you_ than the little fool." She chuckled.

"How nice."

She laughed again, but soon quieted. Her mind drifted to the accident, and she flinched, recalling the sight of the large car ramming into her body. She could still dimly remember the impact, the spray of lifeblood as she practically exploded on the hood, the scent of a hot engine and smoke…and the screams…

__

His scream?

Her eyes locked onto his, misted over with a far-away look. Her mouth was straight, not scowling or smiling…but together with her eyes, she looked like a lost child. 

"…I scared a lot of people…" She murmured. Heero nodded, wondering what was wrong…and he fleetingly thought he should get Madeira's doctor. "I even scared you." She stated. 

His eyebrow raised in question, studying her in bewilderment. 

"I heard you…you called me Madeira." She continued, her voice just as distant as her eyes. "Although I told you never to call me by my name." 

Heero narrowed his eyes. "Well I apologize for that, as well." He said lowly. _I will never understand this girl, _he thought bitterly. And then to his astonishment, she smiled. 

"It doesn't sound as bad as I thought." She said. "Call me Madeira." 

Heero blinked at her, and slowly, a calculating grin appeared on his face. "Sure thing, Kiddo." 

~*~*~

(1)

Lee picked the lock with a fair amount of ease. Chuckling at his own genius, he slipped into the small room and closed the door behind him. His eyes eagerly studied her room, from everything to her dresser, desk, dark blue bed and the small pile of papers on her floor. 

This was Madeira's room.

He kneeled on the floor, shuffling through the little stack and finding himself reading letters to and from Madeira's sister-in-law, Naiad Brindisi. He didn't read much, just a letter or two. It was just a recount on Madeira's first few days and a rather saddening description of the bombing. And he found a brief mention of himself as the "perverted freak". He grinned. 

Lee stood, wandering around the room, peering into and around everything. Her closet was virtually empty, with only a few blouses, a short blue dress and a box up the shelf. He reached out his hand, stroking the fabric of the dress. It was very small…but considering the height of the woman, it probably fit her perfectly… 

He smiled again, images of the dress coming _off_ surfacing in his mind. 

He moved along before he got too excited, which he knew would happen. Lee reached over to her dresser and opened one of the large drawers. Like her closet, her drawers contained little as well. In the drawer he found a few shirts and a pair of shorts, along with a set of keys and another small box. After nosing through it momentary, he found it had nothing more than a few personal nick-nacks and random jewelry. 

Without even a second thought, he snatched up a small necklace charm and put it in his pocket. It was a small golden orb with some Latin lettering on the side, he assumed it meant something to her…

And that was all the more reason he desired to have it. 

Pausing, Lee took another look into the drawer, searching for something else- something possibly that meant something to her…symbolized Madeira in some way. Reminded him of her.

He saw it then, a black, filmy blouse to be worn over a tank top- he'd seen her wear it twice…it was great on her. A smirk tugged at his lips as he picked it up and held it gingerly in his hand, almost the way a mother would hold her first born. The only consideration he held was for himself. He wouldn't be able to see her wear it again.

The thought almost made him put it back.

Almost. 

He shut the drawer, with her charm and blouse clutched possessively in his fist. Stealing a glance into her bathroom, the blonde young man reached out with his other hand, and took her hairbrush swiftly, shoving it into the pocket of his jeans. 

His eyes darted around the room, and finding nothing else he wanted, Lee Smithe exited the room, clasping his newfound treasures to his chest. 

~*~*~

Madeira bowed her head, feeling a fleeting flare of shame and apologized sincerely. 

"Stop apologizing, Madeira." Dorothy scolded fondly. "You shouldn't be afraid to ask for help…especially when you know you need it. Like now, for instance."

The smaller woman, leaning onto Dorothy Catalonia for support as they walked, could only avert the blue gaze that settled upon her sympathetically. 

"…I hate feeling helpless, Dorothy." She murmured. Dorothy nodded, lessening the piteous look as to not offend Madeira. She couldn't help it, though. Only two weeks had passed since the incident with the ambulance, and the stubborn Italian had already convinced the doctors to release her from their care. 

Dorothy assumed it might be _quite_ a while before Dr. Ahren would be ridding himself of that limp.

"Madeira…two weeks ago you were hit by an ambulance. It's a God-given miracle that you're even _alive_, let alone able to walk right now." She said softly. 

"I know that…but still…" The woman argued feebly, but faltered and continued to allow Dorothy to walk her to her room. 

"Remember…no drills, no shifts…nothing. If Miss Relena even _sees_ you in your uniform…" Dorothy advised her again, and Madeira smirked and waved away the warning.

"Believe me, that's the last thing on my mind right now." She mused. "I'm going to pass out on my bed and imitate a corpse for a few days."

Dorothy flinched, giving her a faintly stern look. "Don't say that. Be grateful to be alive…"

Madeira sighed, parting from Dorothy's helping arms and leaning against her door. "Okay…okay. _Vegetable,_ happy?" She amended. "But I am…really." Her voice weakened, becoming sincere. "No regrets. I'm happy to be alive and I don't regret what I did for Wing."

Dorothy smiled. It was mild…an expression not of joy or thrill, merely a softly brilliant smile, fond and caring. Her eyes lit with question, and she opened her mouth to speak.

"Then…would you do it again, for Wing?" She asked, but broke it off, seeing the question much too personal. 

Madeira didn't notice Dorothy's regret about the question. Her jade eyes cast down, meeting the tile floor. She winced in a sudden twinge of pain, something stung in her chest, then throbbed gently away.

"Dulce et…decorum est pro patria…mori (2)." She whispered. …_Does that mean this is my country now? My home? …I shouldn't feel like that…_"I'd do it for Wing…Malattia…you and everyone here except-"

"Heero?" The blonde woman offered, smirking. Madeira snickered, shaking her head. 

"Close. Lee." And she offered Dorothy her hand, smiling cheerfully. "Thank you very much, Dorothy."

Dorothy shook it, returning the smile and nodding. "Call me if you need my help again, Madeira." 

And with a wave of knee-length platinum hair, Dorothy turned the corner and vanished from Madeira's sight. The young woman took a deep breath before lightly knocking the back of her head against the door, causing a slight ache to develop. Another sigh escaped her, and she entered her room with darkened eyes.

~*~*~

Something was wrong.

Madeira could tell immediately. Something in the air…a smell was underlying the normal scent of the room. Papers out of order… Madeira had an incredible memory, a knack for knowing when something was misplaced. 

And something…something had been. She couldn't put her finger on it…but there was something…not _right_ in her room.

A dresser drawer sat slightly ajar, and the ravens-black-haired woman stumbled toward it, ignoring stabbing pains throughout her chest and stomach.

"What the…" She seethed, wrenching it open and glaring murderously into the drawer. To her horror, she saw her safekeepings box open, and her mothers' golden charm missing. _"What the hell?!"_ She raged. Resorting to loud Italian swearing, she began a tirade of anger as she searched the rest of the room for anything else that was missing. 

After ten minutes, Madeira collapsed onto her bed, chest heaving. Her forehead was slick with sweat and her dark bangs lay matted and heavy on her brow. Pain chorused through her body, forcing her to let out a low moan of agony.

__

Hurts…so badly… she thought, holding her hands over her heart tightly. It would do nothing for her pain…yet, it was a comfort. Holding it…shielding it from pain. Maybe feeling as if she had some control over how much it hurt, although she didn't. 

From her grueling search, she'd found only a blouse and her hairbrush missing besides the charm. What kind of fruitcake took a woman's hairbrush?!

…_Lee…I'll kill him…I'll _kill_ him!!_

@-------

Review? ^_^ Please? Again, thank you Ashiko for helping me out with my fics and inspiring me with your writing! ^_^ 

  1. Dude…the entire part was weird to write ^_^; 
  2. "It is sweet and seemly to die for one's country." Its Latin. Since I know very, *very* little Italian and a tiny bit of Latin…and since Latin is the root of most European languages, I used this instead ^_^


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